Can't Remember To Forget You

Chapter 29

"Avery," Dad sighs, running his hands through his hair.

I don't even know what to say to this sorry excuse for a man standing a few feet away from me. I want to yell and scream at him for lying to me and my mother, but I also want to cry as the pain from the entire situation course through me. It's not fair, I think to myself.Why me? 

"Say something," he prompts. "I'm sorry Avery, I really am. I should've told you. Please... say something."

"No," I whisper as I shake my head.

"No, what?"

"No-no I won't say anything, and no you're not sorry, and I'm not forgiving you."

"Avery-" His voice is strained; he doesn't no what else to say.

Honestly, there's nothing left to say. I've finally heard the truth, and the fact that I had to find the truth from someone other than my dad plus the fast that he actually cheated on my mother and left us both for another woman leaves me completely disgusted and hurt. I'm done with this man; there's nothing he can do or say to change that.

"It's not what you think... Please, just give me a chance to explain the whole story."

"Don't expect me to believe anything you say. You're not sorry, you're just sorry you got caught." My words are surprisingly steady; I thought I'd be crying right now with all of the pain ripping through my chest.

I've been hurt so many times, why can't I just catch a break? 

"Let me explain, Avery." My dad's voice becomes stern and his hand moves to grasp my wrist. "Please, it's not what you think."

I laugh. I actually throw my head back and laugh.

"You can't be serious!" I look him in his brown eyes. "How could it not be what I think,Father? There's no way you're getting out of this now; there's no more excuses for you to use." My voice has unintentionally raised, and I feel my face heating up.

His grasp on my wrist only tightens as I try to pull away; I want to be nowhere near this man. I don't even want to call him my father anymore.

"You're pathetic, you know that? You could've told me the truth in the first place, or just let me stay in Phoenix so I wouldn't have to deal with your bullshit. I refuse to listen to you feed me your lies and excuses anymore."

I begin pulling away from his hold on me again, but he won't let me go. His other hand grabs my arm to keep me from getting away from him. I know he won't hurt me, but I hate that he has this control over me.

"What the hell is going on?"

We both look over to the stairs where Harry is lazily rubbing the sleep from his eyes and walking slowly down the stairs.

"Let go of me," I snap at my father and pull away.

This gets Harry's full attention, and he's down the stairs in the blink of an eye.

"The fuck are you doing?" He yells and pushes my father away from me. "Don't ever put your hands on her like that again," Harry grits out. He's fuming; his face is only centimeters away from my father's.

I breathe heavily as I lean against the wall. "Harry, please." I whimper. I'm afraid that he'll make this even worse. "I'm fine," I half lie. I really am fine... physically that is.

Harry pins my father against the wall as he looks over his shoulder to me. "Go upstairs, Ave, okay?"

I shake my head and my stomach turns. I've heard those words from Harry far too many times. I know he wants to make my father pay for putting his hands on me, but that'll just make this whole situation ten times worse. I need Harry, and I need Harry without bloody, broken knuckles.